General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy is NBC even bothering?
Matt Lauer made the dramatic announcement that David Gregory is leaving NBC to be replaced by Chuck Todd on MTP. BFD. Do they think THAT will boost ratings? All they did was replace one Republican stooge for another. Lauer heaped praise on Gregory which sounded suspiciously like "You're doin' a heck of a job, Brownie."
Meh.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)They'll pick up the 'It's so pathetic that I can't look away' viewers?
Gothmog
(145,619 posts)Tim Russert was great at asking the tough questions.
wheniwasincongress
(1,307 posts)will it take for Chucky to be replaced by Joe and Mika when his ratings fair the same if not worse than Gregory?
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Footage of a melting ice cream cone would pull more viewers than MTP currently does.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)TransitJohn
(6,932 posts)That's why they're bothering. Unfortunately, their ineptitude is front and center.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Journalism by and for the 0.01 Percent
By Peter Hart
FAIR, July 1, 2013
EXCERPT...
The media business outstrips other industries in generously compensating its top executives (New York Times, 5/5/13), and those resources could of course be put to better use by hiring reporters. But thats not the way the system works. And its not just the bosses getting rich. Indeed, many high-profile members of the media elite live a rather charmed life. The journalism business looks to be in a disastrous statebut the view from the top is just fine.
SNIP...
David Gregory
As host of NBCs Meet the Press, David Gregory is paid to quiz politicians on the tough issues of the day. But he offers his own opinions on the show, too; hes encouraged the Obama White House to propose big spending cuts in order to confuse Republicans (1/27/13; FAIR Blog, 1/29/13). He thinks the White House should have done more to have a moment in the Rose Garden with a few corporate CEOs (11/11/12; FAIR Blog, 11/13/12), and demanded to hear more from the White House about the hard choices Americans must make to get by with less (1/29/12). He worried about the problem of Occupy activists demonizing Wall Street (10/10/11). He expressed concern that the more people criticize big banks, the closer you get to wiping out the shareholder completelya person who is not just a fat cat (2/22/09).
In that sense, Gregory is reflecting what passes for conventional wisdom in corporate mediabut also among people in Gregorys economic class. His salary is not disclosed, but his predecessor, Tim Russert, reportedly made more than $5 million a year (Washington Post, 5/23/04). As Politico reported (3/15/12), Gregory was seeking membership in the exclusive Chevy Chase Club, which requires an $80,000 initiation fee. Gregory was sponsored by a couple of Washington-area real estate moguls.
Like other members of the media elite, Gregory does speaking gigs on the sidesometimes causing controversy. In 2012 he was a keynote speaker for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, a Republican-allied lobbying group (Think Progress, 5/12/12). NBC defended the appearance on the grounds that Gregory was not being paid. Not all of his appearances are free; Gregory can command about $40,000 per appearance (Think Progress, 5/12/12). One topic offered by his speakers bureau: The Mainstream Media Under Siege.
Gregory gave a 2010 keynote address at a conference held by the National Association of Broadcasters, the powerful lobbying arm of the media industryan event that, according to organizers, would bring hundreds of radio and television broadcasters to Washington to meet with lawmakers and federal officials on legislative and regulatory issues impacting broadcasters. Gregory also delivered the keynote at a 2006 awards dinner for something called the Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, which is set up to promote the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and use geospatial intelligence to address national security objectives.
Gregory is married to Beth Wilkinson, a well-known Washington attorney who works primarily as a defense attorney for corporate clients; she represented mortgage giant Fannie Mae from 200608. She knows everyone in government, and she tells me nothing, Gregory remarked to the Washington Post (3/14/06), which went on to note that in his personal life, Gregory also rubs shoulders with newsmakers; a guest at the couples baby shower was then Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff.
In 2013, Gregory made gossipy news in Washington after apparently becoming incensed about a parking situation near his home (Washington Post, 4/10/13). Visitors to the D.C. Design House, an architectural showcase to benefit the Childrens National Medical Center, were evidently clogging up the streets near Gregorys home. According to one of the designers, Gregory came to the house to very loudly complain on the front lawn. Witnesses claimed that Gregory yelled something about knowing all the politicians in town, which the anchor denied.
CONTINUED...
http://fair.org/slider/cover-story-media-millionaires/
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)Maybe they like flower beds and ice rinks.
Vefy rarely when I get an invite I turn it down. Never going back there after experiencing the bucket of turds that is their membership.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Thank you for the heads-up, AngryAmish! First good laugh this week!
AlinPA
(15,071 posts)Boom Sound 416
(4,185 posts)His wife is a DNC fundraiser
catbyte
(34,457 posts)He seemed like he was jockeying for the job of Press Secretary in a, ahem, "Romney Administration." He was cheerleading for Romney during the campaign, and seemed quite bummed out on Election Night. If what you say is true about his wife, I'll bet he spent a lot of nights sleeping on the couch. He was definitely biased.
Boom Sound 416
(4,185 posts)Whadja find?